Upon Mercy's Wing
by WolfSachi
Summary: Lena is just a petty thief but when she escapes the dungeons of Oasis she finds herself the target of Moira, the city's cruel Minster. She is soon rescued by the mysterious knight Fareeha and her loyal hawk, becoming their unwilling travelling companion. Stumbling upon a tragic tale of love, betrayal and revenge - Lena finds nothing is as it seems. (Based on the film LadyHawke)
1. Prologue - Down Without a Trace

Prologue – Down Without a Trace

Cries of torment and anguish echoed down the stone corridors of the dungeon. The rattling of chains and groans of despair filled the damp stale air. The prison of Oasis was a grim place that more than lived up to its gruesome reputation. None who entered its hold as a prisoner lived to tell the tale of what they saw within. Soon a new sound was heard above the noise, heavy footsteps on the flagstones. The captain of the guard Gabriel Reyes marched down the passageway into the dungeon's depths flanked by a guard on each side. His glistening well-polished black armor a stark contrast to the dirt and grime that surrounded him. He marched onwards, paying no mind to lines of cells that he passed and the poor broken souls trapped within waiting only for the hangman's noose. Finally he reached the cold dark heart of the dungeon to find the jailer waiting for him, a list of names in his hand.

"Milord, I have today's executions for you." He said with a bow of his head as he handed him the paper. He swiftly cast his eye over it before scrunching it up in his hand and shoving it back into the guard's chest.

"I don't care about these names, I want the one they call Tracer. I want Lena Oxton!" He said in a low and dangerous tone. The man quickly bowed again before hurrying off, leading Gabriel to Lena's cell. He unlocked the door and stepped aside to let the captain pass. Gabriel walked inside but to his horror Lena wasn't there.

"What is the meaning of this?" He bellowed at the confused jailer as he along with his two guards searched the cell, but there was no sign of Lena. Enraged Gabriel grabbed the nearest prisoner and placed his sword at his throat.

"Where is she? Where is Lena?" He growled at him but received only a laugh in reply which whistled through the gaps of his many missing teeth.

"The Tracer? The little blue racer? No Lena today, she has ran away. To ease the pain, she... she's down the drain." He crackled insanely as his eyes drifted pass Gabriel to settle on the slightly ajar drain cover in the centre of the cell. Gabriel let out a snarl of frustration as he threw the man to the floor. "Hang him!" He commanded as a couple of guards came in to drag the poor man away as he tried to desperately plea for his life. Once he was out of the way he turned to his two escorts. "Sound the alarm. That girl must not escape. Search every sewer and every drain till she is found." He bellowed as he stormed away in order to inform the Minister.

As the alarm bells of Oasis rang out across the surrounding countryside a lone figure watched on from the nearby summit. The figure was clad in all deep cobalt armor with a hood to hide their face. From atop their huge black station the figure listened to the sound of the bells which was joined by the high pitched shriek of the beautiful hawk that sat on their hand. The knight had been waiting for a long time for such a sign and now it seemed that their wait was finally over. They would finally have the justice that had been denied them so many years ago.


	2. Chapter 1 - Through Dark Waters

Chapter 1 – Through Dark Waters into Light

Lena let out another long sigh as she continued to squeeze her way through the narrow pipe. It was incredibly tight and smell was horrendous but she knew it was the only way to freedom. Not only that but she preferred the smelly narrow tunnel to the hangman's noose that awaited her if she went back.

"Come on Lena, they don't call you Tracer for nothing!" She said to herself, hoping that she could live up to her nickname, and disappear without a trace. As she crawled in the gloom of the tunnel Lena began to make out the faintest glow of light. A smile grew on her face despite the grim situation as finally she could see the light at the end of her dark smelly tunnel. She hurried forward with renewed vigour, dragging herself with her hand and elbows till at last she reached the exit. She reached out with her arms to pull herself through the tiny gap. "Come on, it's not even the narrowest place you have had to squeeze through." She grumbled knowing full well that it probably was but hoping that convincing herself it wasn't might somehow make it feel wider. With one last desperate effort she pushed through till finally she was free.

However in her haste to escape she had failed to check if there was anywhere for her to land, which unfortunately there was not. The moment her hips were through she found herself plummeting very quickly downwards. With a mighty splash she landed headfirst into freezing cold water. The sudden shock of cold took her breath away, but it thankfully did clean all the grime from her skin and clothing. She resurfaced coughing and sputtering, taking huge gulps of air as the surprise of her dramatic exit died down. Looking around she took a moment to take in the sight of the vaulted ceilings of the water filled tunnels with pools of light upon the surface that flooded in from the drain covers above. It was clean that she had managed to end up in the network of drainage channels that ran underneath Oasis.

"Well this is great and all but which direction do I head in now?" She asked herself as she considered each waterway in turn but to her eyes they each looked the same.

"Help me out here! I swear if I make it out of here alive I promise I will never pick another pocket again. That's fair, but it does mean you got to let me live otherwise how can I prove myself? If you hear me then you will send me some kind of sign, but if you don't there's no hard feeling, however I will be very disappointed." She called out trying to use her sense of logic against the unseen higher entity. No sooner had the words left her lips heavenly music flowed into the tunnel. It was the beautiful sound of the chapel choir singing their hymns for service.

"Looks like my prayers have been answered." She cried in joy as she began to swim towards the direction of the music. It wasn't long till Lena found herself underneath the chapel drain cover. She could see the grand celling up above thought the solid metal bars, as well as the shoes of the congregation that had gathered for the service. As much as Lena wanted to climb her way up the shoot to freedom, she had no doubt a soaked woman coming out the drain dressed in the clothes of a prisoner would raise more than a few suspicions.

"I guess I'll have to wait till service is over." She said with a huff as waiting around wasn't really her thing. However no sooner had the breath left her mouth when a strange sound caught her attention. It was a bizarre noise, sounding like water splashing against something hollow and wooden. Suddenly it dawned on her what it was when she heard the noise being joined by the sound of angry voices. It was the guards; they had a row boat and they were looking for her.

"Oh no!" She whispered to herself as she swam away as quickly and as silently as possible. Thankfully it seemed they hadn't spotted her yet but she knew if she didn't do something fast that could soon change. Despite her best efforts the boatload of guards were still gaining on her. She rounded the corner and, to her horror found herself facing a dead end. She swiftly turned to head back the way she came but the rowboat was too close behind and would no doubt spot her if she did. She franticly looked around for an escape route but was met with only the stone walls of the tunnel till something below the water line caught her eye. She noticed a broken drain cover that was attached to a large pipe that was large enough for her to swim through, however it lead into darkness so she had no idea where it went. Unfortunately it was the only option that she had. Taking one last deep breath she dived beneath the water.

She swam like death itself was chasing her, clawing her way desperately through the inky blackness. The tunnel seemed endless but she carried on swimming, there was no turning back now. She felt the air in her lungs beginning to fade. Like it was clawing at her from the inside, begging her to take a breath. Just as she was losing hope and mentally resigned herself that this would be her watery grave the darkness gave way to light that streamed from above. With renewed vigour she kicked furiously upward till finally she broke the surface. Taking a deep gulp of the sweetest oxygen she had ever tasted it took her moment to realise where she was and the sight of it made her jaw drop. By sheer dumb luck she had somehow managed find her way into the moat that surrounded Oasis.

"I can't believe it... I'm free!" She said gleefully to herself as she let herself float for a moment on her back, enjoying the sense of relief and joy that she was currently feeling.

* * *

Whilst Lena was overcome with happiness, Gabriel was feeling something altogether very different as he approached the Minister's chambers. He took a deep breath to steady himself knowing the unpleasant news that he brought would more than likely not go down well. He raised his hand and knocked on the door to announce his presence before entering the study. Minister Moira sat at her desk with her back to Gabriel, a single candle to illuminate herself and the room. Despite the bright daylight outside the chamber was dark and cold.

"My lady, I come bearing disturbing news." He said with a bow of his head. Moira slowly turned to him, her displeasure clear to see on her face.

"The alarm bells of Oasis haven't rung in over a hundred years so you can imagine my surprise to hear them disrupting my work. Tell me Captain, what news do you bring to me?" She asked, her voice unnervingly steady but not losing its menacing edge.

"A prisoner has escaped from the dungeons my lady, the responsibility is all mine." Gabriel replied keeping his head low and his eyes down at the ground, afraid to meet the minister's glaze.

"Yes!" She said to him simply, in a single word she placed all the fault and shame solely on his shoulders.

"Fear not my lady for is she nothing more than petty thief." He continued trying to downplay his failures but Moira saw through his lies.

"Maybe but a great storm announces itself with a single breath. A single spark can ignite the fires of rebellion. No-one can escape from the dungeon of Oasis, the people accept that as historical fact. It makes them feel safe, it keeps them obedient." She said, narrowing her eyes at him dangerously.

"It would be a miracle if she managed to make it out the sewer system alive." He stated feeling small and powerless under the minister's glaze, a feeling he wasn't used to.

"I'm not leaving such a thing to chance!" She cut in, raising her hand to silence any reply from him; she no longer cared to hear what he had to say.

"You will bring me this Lena girl and she will hang with the rest of them. Her corpse will serve as a message to the people to show them what happens when you defy the will of the Minister of Oasis. Bear in mind Captain you do not want me to lose faith in you. Am I understood?" She asked but to Gabriel it was clear there was only one acceptable answer. With a swift nod of his head he left the room and it wasn't long before he had gathered a patrol of guards in the courtyard. Each one heavily armed, each one on horseback and each one ready for the hunt.

"The one who catches Lena will be brought to the personal attention of the Minister as will the corpse of the one who lets her get away." He bellowed to his troops before he spurred his horse onwards, leading the charge out of Oasis. As the march of horses and men left the fortress they passed two guards sat on the moat wall.

"I'm telling you it's not fair. They get to chase glory hunting down this Lena girl whilst we are stuck babysitting the peasants." He grumbled to his colleague unaware that the very subject of their discussion was currently cutting his purse strings with his own knife. She had found it easy to take it from his sheath but purse was proving trickier as the leather cords that held it to his belt were tough. Lena gently sawed at it so as to not raise the man's suspicions till finally the string gave way and snapped. She slowly pulled it free from the man's belt, relishing in the feeling of the heavy weight of coins in her hand. She slowly and carefully swam away with her bounty in her grasp.

"I know I promised to never steal again but I also know that you know what a weak-willed person I am." She whispered to herself as she headed towards the far side of the moat. She may have the whole guard platoon of Oasis after her but at least here there were no chains or cages. She knew she wasn't out of the woods yet but for the first time in what felt like forever she was free and she wasn't going to waste this chance. Come what may she wouldn't give up her freedom without a fight.


	3. Chapter 2 - A Foolhardy Toast

Chapter 2 – A Foolhardy Toast 

Lena strolled along the river bank quite happily in her newly acquired outfit and boots. She was glad to be rid of those rags that apparently passed as clothing in the dungeons of Oasis. She had stolen her cream tunic and beige trousers from the washing line of a farm she had passed early downstream. She was sure the farmer wouldn't miss them, but no doubt he would be little bit more upset knowing he had also lost his nice pair of boots that she had taken from his barn. All the garments were a little big on her but she knew beggars couldn't be choosers plus she'd take that over being wet and barefoot in the cold. Her merry walk was soon interrupted by a low rumble from her stomach, which reminded her just how hungry she was.

"I would enjoy a leg of lamb right now, maybe with some mint sauce or I could have a joint of beef roasted over a log fire. I'd need some roast potatoes and cabbage to go with it of course, with a large slice of honey cake to finish with." She said to herself, her mouth-watering over the thought of all the food she could buy with her newly found wealth. She continued merrily along her path till she saw a plumes of smoke rising up into the sky, which she hoped was a sign of a settlement nearby and hopefully a meal.

As she neared the source of the smoke she saw that her suspicions were correct, although it was little more than a small farming village it did have its own tavern which sat proudly in the centre. It, like the rest of the village, was nothing grand. It was really just a large fenced wooden platform with a series of table and chairs on it. There was a shed at the back to store the drinks and a long bar in front of it to serve them from. She cheerfully strolled through the gateway and passed the other patrons as she went straight up to the bartender. He was a rather gruff looking man who seemed to Lena to be completely uninterested in everything going on around him.

"A cup of finest wine please, love." She said to the man who looked at her with a doubtful expression till he spotted the large coin purse tied to her belt. With a grunt he reached below the bar and pulled out bottle which he poured into a beaker before handing it to her. She lifted the cup to her lips and took a long drink from it. The wine tasted warm and sweet upon her tongue. She was free of Oasis, had a purse full of coin and now she felt like celebrating. She turned to face the rest of the patrons and raised her beaker.

"In fact I will buy anyone a cup of wine if they join me in a toast." She called out to them gleefully. One of the people lifted their head up from their drink and turned slightly towards Lena, their face hidden by the hooded cloak they were wearing.

"Go on then, let's hear this toast that you propose?" He asked in gruff tone, his voice at least revealing himself as male. Lena turned to the person who had spoken, a smile on her lips that someone was showing an interest.

"It is a toast to the only person who has seen inside the dungeons of Oasis and lived to tell the tale." She responded with a voice filled with confidence and smugness. She knew that she had managed to achieved a feat that no-one ever had. However in reply all she got from the stranger was a rather deep sinister chuckle.

"Well under that logic I deserve a toast as well because I have also seen inside those dungeon but unlike you, I will live to see tomorrow." The mysterious figure replied as he pulled back his hood to reveal his face and Lena's smile quickly disappeared. It was Gabriel and he wasn't alone as the five other figures removed their cloaks to reveal their guard uniforms hidden underneath. The few people in the tavern who were not guards quickly scarpered for the scene. They knew what was about to happen and they didn't want any part of it.

One of the guards nearest to her got up and slowly approached her, an arrogant expression on his face. He grabbed her shoulders with a hand on each but Lena wasn't giving up that easily. Thinking fast she threw her cup of wine into his face. The man screamed as the alcohol stung his eyes, clawing desperately at his face. Lena quickly took her chance, crouching down she dived between the man's legs and underneath the closest table. By now the rest of the guards were on their feet, franticly pulling away chairs to try and reach her but she was quicker. Every time they cleared one they found she had fled underneath another one, but unfortunately she was rapidly running out of tables.

Gabriel had moved from his previous spot to watch proceedings from the bar where he could happily help himself to the drinks. He took a sip of wine before shaking his head with amusement. It was entertaining to watch the prey try and escape when they were so clearly trapped like a rabbit in the hunter's snarl. Lena popped out from under her table but her heart sank when she saw that she reached the end of the line. There was nowhere left to hide. With the guards closing in she grabbed a carving knife that was laying on the nearby table next to the remains of someone's lunch. She pointed it at the approaching guards, slashing wildly into the air to keep them at bay.

Gabriel had finally grown tired of watching the game play out and deciding to end it. Getting up he walked over and was about to draw his sword to subdue the thief. However as Lena tried desperately to fend off the approaching guards she didn't see Gabriel advance towards her and as she lashed out she accidently struck him, slashing him across his left cheek. Gabriel staggered back from the blow and in his surprise he raised his hand to touch the newly formed cut on his face. When he pulled it away he saw the red of his own blood straining his leather gloves. He turned back to Lena, the expression on his face was one of pure rage. On the other hand Lena looked horrified at what she had done.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to! It was an accident, I swear!" She said as immediately dropped the knife but her pleas did nothing to dampen Gabriel's fury.

"Kill her!" He ordered her men, watching as they surged towards Lena and dragged the defenceless girl away. They forced her onto her knees, holding her hands behind her back. Doing so forced her to lean forward which left her neck dangerously exposed. Their intentions became clear as one of the guards loomed over her, drawing his sword.

"Have mercy!" Lena cried desperately as the man raised his sword over her neck and she shut her eyes awaiting the final blow. But it did not come. Instead she heard a pained yelp and a clank as the sword hit the ground next to her. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see the guard staggering backwards with a crossbow bolt sticking out of his upper arm. She and everyone present turned to see who the archer was. Stood in the gateway holding already reloaded crossbow that undoubtedly fired the first bolt was a tall bronze skinned woman with shoulder length silky black hair. Either side of her face the strands of hair had small gold beads braided into them. Underneath her right eye was a tattoo of the eye of Horus, or at least that what Lena thought it was. She wasn't very well versed in Ancient Egyptian mythology but she remembered a merchant tried to sell her something similar with the same name before. If Lena hadn't of been fearing for her life she would of thought the woman was quite handsome. She wore a captain's uniform similar to Gabriel but hers was a stunning cobalt blue.

"Release her!" She said in a commanding leaving no doubt that the uniform wasn't just for show as she aimed the crossbow at them. The two guards slowly let go of Lena who wasted no time scrambling to her feet. She cautiously made her way towards the strange woman, unsure having just saved her life what she wanted her to do. She turned to her and up close Lena could see his piecing brown eyes. It was like staring into the eyes of a wolf, they held the glaze of a predator that felt like they could see into her very soul.

"Out!" She growled at her thrusting the crossbow into her hands, clearly not interested in talking and Lena didn't need to be told twice. She bolted pass her and ran as fast as she could from the tavern. With the thief gone Gabriel stepped forward, an amused expression on her face. "Well, well, well! If it isn't the disgraced Captain Fareeha Amari. You know one of my guards told me that you returned so I cut out his tongue for lying. It seems that I own him an apology because I thought there was no way you would be that stupid." He said with a mocking chuckle but Fareeha remained silent.

"No matter, kill her then hunt down our runaway." He instructed with dismissive wave of his hand but his men looked at him with confusion.

"But sir that's our Captain." He said, unsure what to do being faced with killing his former commander however his uncertainty caused Gabriel's fury to return.

"You disrespectful insubordinate fool, I'm your Captain." He bellowed, in a flash he drew his sword and mercilessly ran him through. Fareeha watched on in horror as he collapsed in a heap onto the ground, blood pouring from his wound. She rushed forward to get to his side, pushing pass the other guards. Unfortunately he was already dead when she reached, his eyes rolled back in their sockets and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"You murderer!" Fareeha roared as she leap up with incredible speed and punched Gabriel full force square in the face.

The blow dazed him so much so that he staggered backwards and one of his men had to catch him to stop him collapsing into the floor. The other two guards drew their swords prepared to attack and in answer Fareeha drew hers. The silver curved blade of her sword glimmered in the afternoon sun as did the two gems embedded in the metal though another appearing to be missing, evident by the empty hole where a third should be. The first guard attacked but Fareeha easily deflected the blow to the side causing him to stumble pass her. Taking her opportunity she drove the pommel of her sword into his back sending him crashing to the floor. The second guard took his chance, he raised his sword and brought it down in a bold overhead attack. Fareeha blocked it and for a moment the metal of their blade gridded together as they fought for control. However she soon overpowered him and pushed him back far enough to raise her leg to kick him in the centre of the chest. He stumbled backwards straight into the path of the third guard who had left Gabriel's side to help his comrades and the pair of them toppled to the ground. With all the soldiers soundly defeated in a matter of seconds Fareeha sheathed her sword and walked over to the stunned Gabriel. She grabbed him with both hands by collar; lifting him up to stare him in the eyes, blood oozing for his cut cheek and nose.

"Tell the minister I'm coming for her." She growled at him in an ominous tone before throwing him onto the small fire pit in the centre of the platform.

The flames were low but they were enough to set the bottom of his cloak ablaze. His cries of distress were enough to prompt the downed guards to action and they rushed over to help him. He rolled desperately on the ground as he had the indignity of having his men try to beat down the flames with their gloved hands. As the commotion continued Fareeha turned and walked away, picking up her crossbow which had been carelessly dumped on the ground by the thief. She mounted her huge black warhorse that she had hidden nearby and raced after the runaway girl. As she rode pass the tavern Gabriel looked up as the last slivers of flame were finally put out.

"After her!" He shouted at his men who quickly mounted their own horses and gave chase. Whilst they went after Fareeha, he headed in the opposite direction. He was headed back to Oasis to warn the minister of Fareeha's return.

Further down the road Lena was running for her life. She was grateful to the mysterious blue knight for saving her life but she wasn't about to stick around to find out why. Suddenly she heard the sound horse hooves behind her. She turned to see her so-called rescuer riding towards her at full pelt.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" She cried as she tried to outrun her but it was no use.

She soon caught up and as she passed the thief she reached down to grab the back of her trousers. She pulled her up rather unceremoniously onto her horse, giving her the undignified position of riding on her front between her and the neck of her horse. In front of them one of the guards had somehow managed to get ahead of them and was locking the gate that was their only way out. However to Lena's surprise the knight didn't slow down, in fact she did the complete opposite and spurred her horse on to go faster. She was sure they were going to run straight into the gate but at the last moment the horse leapt over it effortlessly. The two guards that had caught up behind them weren't so brave, opting instead to pull their horses to a stop. As one of them leant down to unhinge the gate a hawk swooped down out of nowhere and flew directly at that. It slashed the man's fingers with its talon and not only that but its bold manoeuvre also spooked the horses causing them to rear up, throwing off their riders. The last unarmed guard who had locked the gate did his best to stop the escapees but he was clearly outmatched. As they rode pass the knight simply gave him a swift blow to the head with her fist sending him toppling to the ground.

Against overwhelming odds and with their pursers lost the unlikely duo had made their escape. Lena's mind was awash with a cascade of different thoughts and emotions but mostly it was fear. She didn't know what the strange woman's intentions were but whatever they were she was in her grasp now and this time she doubted there would be a handy sewer to escape through.


	4. Chapter 3 - Tooth, Claw and Beauty

Chapter 3 – Tooth, Claw and Beauty

Lena let out a long tired sigh as she wondered not for the first time this evening if she technically was a captive or not. She was currently riding behind her mysterious rescuer, who thankfully allowed her to move from her previous rather more uncomfortable position when they had stopped briefly to allow the hawk to catch up with them. The bird in question now sitting happily on the knight's arm. As the unlikely pair travelled along the road they caught sight of a small farm house not too far ahead. Lena could see smoke coming from the chimney which at least meant it was inhabited.

"We will stay here for the night." The knight said firmly out of nowhere as they drew closer.

"Are you sure love? We could ride on, I mean there is still plenty of light." Lena said as she looked up at the sky. Whilst it was true that the bright blue of day had given way to the golden glow of evening there was still ample time before nightfall.

"Quit your chattering." She snarled at her, effectively ending the discussion.

The pair carried on in silence till they reached the border fence of the farm. Within it they saw a young man working in the garden. He had short man with tanned skin or at least Lena thought it was but it was hard to tell considering how mucky he was. She had the same problem with his hair which she guessed was bright blonde underneath all the dirt. He looked up at hearing their approach and upon seeing them he quickly grabbed the nearby pitchfork, pointing it at them. The knight held up both her hands in an attempt to show they meant no harm.

"Good evening sir, my comrade and I require lodging for the night." She asked politely but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Be gone with you, there is no place for you here. I know your types and you are getting your hands on my treasure." He barked at them, his eyes showing a slightly unhinged look about them as they twitched neviously. Lena couldn't help wondering what he on about, he certainly didn't look like someone who had gold to spare. By the looks of things all he had were his rundown old hut and a large pig that was happily sleeping in the mud. If they wouldn't so desperate they would look elsewhere but it seemed the crazy man was their own option.

"We are not above compassion for those in need." Lena interrupted as she lifted her purse and shook it so the rattle of coins could be clearly heard. The man looked between them and the sack of money for a moment till finally cation gave way to greed.

"You can stay in the barn, but don't you go rummaging through my plans." He said as he pointed over at an outhouse that stood at the far edge of the farm from them. With a nod of gratitude the pair headed off towards it. Upon seeing the building up close Lena thought calling it a barn was being too generous. It was more like a rundown old storehouse but at least it was a roof over their heads. After they both dismounted, the knight tied up her horse and removed her long cloak. She gently placed the hawk down on a nearby ladder just inside the door of the barn but when she turned back around she saw the thief standing around with nothing to do.

"Stop that gawking and help!" She snapped at her, breaking her from her daze.

"Forgive me, you looked as if you had everything under control love." She replied sheepishly as she grabbed a pack off the horse and hurried it over to lend a hand. They worked in silence but Lena had a burning need to at least try to strike up a conversation, after all to her this woman was a total stranger.

"You can't really blame me if I don't know how you operate. I mean, you saved my life and I know nothing about you. I don't even know your name!" Lena answered as she looked at her pleading eyes, hoping at least to earn that from the knight.

"You are like a wasp in my ear with all this talk." She grumbled, rubbing her forehead as she felt the beginning of a headache. "My name is Fareeha, if that makes you happy." She said finally as she gave the young thief one of her trademark scowls but Lena seemed completely oblivious to it.

"Well Fareeha, I'm Lena Oxton but people call me Tracer." She proudly boosted as she placed her hands on his hips, but Fareeha merely looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Clearly she was either unfamiliar with the term or more likely unimpressed with it. "It's because I am so quick to escape any trap they set for me, I disappear without trace." She continued, her previous confidence was slowly faded.

"Like how you were so quick to escape those guards at the tavern? Tell me, how well was that escape going as that man held a sword to your throat?" Fareeha asked in a dry tone. Lena could almost feel the pin being driven into her ballooning ego. Not only that but the expression on her face showed she was very aware of what her question had done to the poor girl.

"Well I admit that things… didn't quite go to plan." Lena shuttered sheepishly, hoping that Fareeha didn't notice the blush of embarrassment on her face at the mention of her previous failure.

"Well let's hope you are better with horses than you are at keeping a low profile, because you can tend to mine." She said as she pointed at her large black steed. With a long sigh Lena walked over and took hold of the reins but as much as she pulled the horse remained firmly rooted to the spot.

"Come on girl, come on! She's a stubborn thing isn't she? What's her name?" She asked, puffed out from trying to move the horse.

"His name is Anubis." Fareeha replied sternly as she walked up to him and gently stroked his mane, the harsh look in her eyes soften as she did. Lena on the other hand felt her cheeks reddened in humiliation as once again she managed to make herself look like a fool in front of Fareeha.

"Go with her boy, she didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She said to the horse and with a whinny he finally allowing Lena to lead him away.

"I think you and I are going to become firm friends; but I have to ask, I thought that Anubis was a jackal headed god of death? Seems a funny thing to name a horse." Lena happily chatted to the horse as she led Anubis to the nearby water trough.

Fareeha shook her head as she watched them go. She could feel her patience being tested but it mattered little. She would complete her quest and the little thief was the key to its success. With a long sigh Fareeha headed inside and into the little storeroom she had temporary claimed as her room for the night. Heading over to where her pack lay on the floor and cautiously rummaged through it till she found what she was looking for. Carefully she pulled out a blue and gold knight's helmet but it was what was inside the helm that interested her. Fareeha tenderly pulled out a bundle of fabric that was stuffed within it. As she slowly unfolded it, the material revealed itself to be a long flowing dress. It was beautifully made white silk gown with streaks of gold woven into it, the slight breeze causing the cloth to flow like sunlight through the clouds. Fareeha held the dress so gently it was as if it was made of glass. She rubbed the fabric lightly between her fingers as its softness let her mind drift off to a happier time. However a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she quickly hid the dress back inside her helmet.

"Fareeha, your horse had been fed and watered so if there is nothing else for me to do I'm going to head to bed." Lena shouted in from the other side of the door. Fareeha headed over and opened the door just a faction, just enough for Lena to see her but little else of the room.

"You can gather some firewood before that and when you do go to sleep, do it with one eye open. Furthermore don't disturb me whilst I am sleeping, I'm liable to take your head off before I know it is you." She said in a cold commanding tone before slamming the door in Lena's face.

"Right well… goodnight then love." Lena called through the door, a little confused by the cold reception.

Grumbling under her breath she stormed out of the barn to go collect the firewood as ordered, unaware that behind the door Fareeha was listening. She leaned against the door with the back of her head against the wood and let out a long sigh. Looking up she could see the last of the sunlight as it was disappeared below the horizon.

"One day…" She whispered to herself longingly as the felt the familiar sensation of her mind begin to slip away from her like so many sunset before.

* * *

Meanwhile in the surround woodlands Lena was begrudgingly collecting firewood. She was starting to feel the cold bite at her fingers and her mind kept stewing on the fact that whilst she was labouring away Fareeha was happily sleeping. She picked up another stick with a sigh of frustration, lamenting how unfair the world was.

"Look at me now! I was better off in the dungeons of Oasis. My cellmate was insane, and a murderer but at least he respected me." She grumbled to herself as she stopped to think out loud to herself. "She wants something from me. I can see it in her eyes. Well, whatever it is, I'm not going to do it! You can count on that for sure. I'm still a young woman, you know. I've got prospects!" She called out to no-one but herself as she threw the sticks she had collected to the ground in a moment of realisation and rebellion.

"In fact I believe that I'm not going to stick around to find out what it is. So long Fareeha, I would say it was a pleasure knowing you but it wasn't!" She exclaimed with a self-assured smile on her face as it seemed that she had managed to convince herself to leave using her very own words. She only took a few steps before she heard the sound of a twig snapping. She stopped in her tracks and looked around however she saw nothing. With a shrug and putting the noise down to her imagination she continued but once again after only a couple of steps she heard it again. Someone or something was out there and it was stalking her.

"Good Genji, you brought your sword and your crossbow as well Winston." She called out loudly hoping that if it was a person that the prospect of being outnumbered by armed people would discourage them from attack. Even if they were completely imaginary and only names that she had thought up on the fly. Despite her efforts she heard the rustling of the bushes not far from her and whatever was making the noise sounded like it was getting closer. Making a split second decision Lena bolted, running as fast as her legs could carry her back to the farm.

"Show no mercy you two, I will run back and get reinforcements!" She shouted to her imaginary comrades in arms in a last effort to confuse her mysterious attacker.

She scrambled desperately through the undergrowth, feeling the branches snag on her clothing but she pushed on regardless. She couldn't even hear if she was being chased through the thundering of her heartbeat in her own ears. Finally after what felt like an eternity she saw the farmhouse through the trees. With renewed hope and one last burst of energy she emerged from the vegetation. She took a couple of deep breath to get some air back into her winded lungs. She turned to face the direction she had just come from and thankfully nothing had followed her. She let out a long sigh of relief as she took a couple steps back but to her surprise she bumped into something. She quickly spun around to see what or who it was however in her worn-out state she lost her footing, landing in a heap on the floor. She looked up and was surprised to see the owner of the farm towering over her. Lena felt a shiver down her spine at the disturbed look in his eyes but what really frightened her was the sight of the large axe in his right hand. The man let out a sinister laugh as he loomed menacingly over the vulnerable Lena.

"Your corpse will burn!" He crackled wildly as he raised the axe above his head ready to strike but before he could a creature leapt from the shadow and tackled him with such power it forced him to the ground. Lena quickly scrambled backwards out of the way. It took her a moment to realise what had saved her. It was a wolf with a coat as black as coal. Lena watched in horror as the man fought desperately against the wolf but it was just too powerful and with a vicious snarl it bit down hard on his arm as he tried to raise it to defend himself. The sound of his bloodcurdling screams broke Lena from her stupor and she clambered to her feet.

"Wolf! There's a wolf!" She shouted as she ran into the barn. Despite Fareeha's warning ringing in her ears she burst through her door but all that greeted her was an empty room.

"Fareeha! Fareeha! She cried out as she franticly searched the room for any sight of her but she was nowhere to be seen.

However, Lena did see her crossbow and quiver lean up against the wall. With no other option and the very real possibility of a hungry wolf at her door, Lena grabbed them but in her hurry she managed to spill all the bolts on the floor. Nearly rushing out the door with no ammunition she rushed back to pick up one of the bolts. With weapon and ammo finally in hand she ran outside. The fight was still raging between the two but it was clear it wouldn't last much longer; the man's screams were getting weaker by the second. Lena pulled back the string of the crossbow and if not for the life and death situation would have wondered how Fareeha was able to do it with such ease.

Ahead of her with one final brutal snarl the wolf bit down hard on the man's neck and his last feeble cry died in his throat just as Lena finally drew loaded the crossbow. She lifted it up and rested it on the high fence in front of her to steady her aim. The air went silent, the only sound to be heard was the heavy breathing of the wolf as blood dripped from its muzzle onto the ground below. Lena was briefly mesmerised by the sight of it as it stood proudly before her. She had thought with its first prey defeated it would immediately attacked her next but instead it simply observed her. She felt like it was studying her with its burning gold eyes, almost like it knew her. Realising she had paused for far too long she shook her head to clear her thoughts and once again looked down the crossbow to aim at the wolf, her finger placed ready on the trigger.

However just as she was about to pull it, out from behind her a hand reached over her shoulder and gently lifted the bolt off the crossbow. Lena turned around in surprise to see who it was and was met with a sight that took her breath away. Standing before her was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was wearing a long black cloak that reached all the way to the floor so her whole body was covered with only her face showing. The hood was pulled up but it did little to hide the exquisite blonde hair that flowed to her shoulders like cascades of gold. Her skin looked like the finest cream silk, smooth and soft in equal measure. However despite all those prefect features the most striking part of her were her eyes. They were pale blue eyes like fresh clear ice on a lake, shivering in the soft moonlight. Lena felt as though her eyes were looking straight into her very soul. The mysterious woman lifted her head, breaking her gaze to look pass Lena to where to wolf was waiting then slowly turned away and headed to gateway in the fence. It took Lena a few moments to realise where the lady was heading and in a panic raced up to her, grabbing her shoulder to stop her.

"Don't go out there love! There's a wolf! The biggest wolf you have ever seen in your life!" Lena said to her in a worried and frantic tone.

She had already seen the beast tear apart one person and she wasn't in a hurry to see it do it again. However to her surprise the woman simply turned to her and gently placed her finger on Lena's lips to silent her, a serene smile upon her face.

"I know." She said softly as she turned away and once again walked slowly towards the waiting wolf.

It watched her intensely with its golden eyes as she came closer. Lena kept waiting for the moment it would lunge at her, to attack like any other normal wolf would but it didn't. Once she reached the wolf she calmly knelt down in front of it. The woman slowly reached out her hand which the wolf carefully sniffed it before finally placed its head into her palm, allowing her to lightly stroke the side of its muzzle with her thumb. To Lena's complete and total astonishment it looked more like a greeting between friends than a person and a wild animal. In a state of shock Lena headed back inside the barn and lean against the doorway. All the events of the evening finally caught up with her she felt her legs give way beneath her and she slumped into a heap on the ground.

"Maybe I'm dreaming. My eyes are open, which means maybe I'm awake dreaming that I'm asleep. Or more likely, I'm asleep dreaming that I'm awake wondering if I'm dreaming." She said to herself, trying to find some sense of logic or explanation to what she had witnessed.

"You are dreaming!" A woman's voice called from outside with the slightest hint of a Swiss ascent which no doubt it came from the mysterious lady.

Lena leaned forward and cautiously popped her head around the doorway to have a look at what was happening. The woman was heading towards the wood, the wolf walking closely by her side. The pair soon reached the edge of the forest and disappeared into the tree as mystifyingly as they had appeared. Lena quickly leant back against the wall, shaking her head. Her baffled mind still unable to process what had just happened. Whatever it was, it was definitely unnatural.

"I've not seen what I've just seen, I do not and will not believe that I have. These as magical and unexplainable things and I do not want to be make a part of them!" She called out to any higher power that maybe listening.

She felt a sudden tiredness grip her whole body. No doubt the adrenaline from her earlier impromptu run through the forest, attack from the crazed man and miraculous saviour by the wolf was finally starting to fade. She knew that she would regret falling asleep in such an awkward position but right now she was too tired to care. She hoped that come morning it would all be forgotten and she could put it down to nothing more than a bad dream. She didn't fight the blackness that shallowed her mind, letting it pull her into sleep. Her dreams filled with the striking sapphire eyes of the unnamed woman as she gazed longingly upon her wolf.


	5. Chapter 4 - A Mother's Sword

Chapter 4 – Within a Sword Lies a Story

As the sun rose high in the afternoon sky Lena found herself quite happily chopping firewood with Fareeha's sword, thankfully after all the excitement of the previous night today had turned out to be rather uneventful. As predicted she had woken up with a stiff neck after having fallen asleep in such an uncomfortable position. It wasn't helped by the fact that Fareeha thought to gently wake her from her slumber by giving her a swift kick to the shin. They quickly packed up their gear and moved on. Fareeha made no suggestion to leave any coins for the strange man which made Lena suspect that she was somehow aware of his fate. As they travelled onwards Lena badly wanted to talk about what happened the night before, however the more she thought about putting it into words, the more unbelievable it sounded. Fareeha had barely spoken a word to her since they set off and the silence had only gotten more awkward as the day dragged on, it was only broken when Fareeha had decided to set up camp for the night. Whilst she had disappeared off to fill up the canteens Lena had once again been left in charge of firewood. Lena again raised the sword above her head to cut another branch but as she tried to strike she suddenly found herself unable to do so, she turned to see if it had gotten caught on something behind her, instead she found herself facing Fareeha holding the blade in her gloved hand and she didn't look best pleased.

"This sword had been in my family for three generations, it has never known dishonour till now." She growled at Lena before yanking the sword from her gasp, she turned the weapon over in her hand to inspect its edge and gave Lena an unimpressed glare at finding it dull. With a huff she went over to her pack to retrieve a whetstone and perched herself on a nearby rock as she set about the long process of sharpening it.

"Well it's no good it being sharp if there is no-one around to use it when you need them." Lena mumbled under her breath as she gathered up her firewood, hoping there was enough seeing as Fareeha had deprived her of her chopping tool, however Fareeha looked up from her work and turned to Lena with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked in an offended tone, clearly taking her comment as a personal attack on her honour. Lena on the other hand blushed deeply, not meaning for Fareeha to hear her remark but now it was out in the open there was not taking it back.

"Last night whilst I was collecting firewood the weird man who let us stay attacked me. He said something about protecting his treasure, but I think that he didn't want to wait for his money." Lena replied sheepishly, the expression on Fareeha's face didn't give away any clues as to whether or not she believed her and she hadn't even gotten to the most fantastic part yet.

"I thought I was a goner but out of nowhere a wolf attacked, it was a black wolf, the biggest creature you have ever seen and it was vicious too. It ripped the man apart right in front of me but I was able to get away. It was really odd, the wolf could have easily killed me as well but it completely ignored me." She continued paying close attention to Fareeha's reaction but once again she gave nothing away, playing her cards very close to her chest.

"I thought something like that had happened. I found the man this morning or at least what was left of his bloodied corpse and I buried him." Fareeha replied as she went back to sharpening her sword. She offered Lena no more information about where she had disappeared to that night, Lena let out a long frustrated sigh as once again Fareeha resumed her usual stoic and unhelpful demeanour. She was about to give up trying to get anything else out of her when she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten the most important part.

"There was a woman there too, she appeared out of nowhere. She stopped me shooting the wolf with your crossbow." Lena cried out and the moment the words left her mouth Fareeha stopped what she was doing so abruptly that she nearly dropped her whetstone.

"Did you say that there was a woman?" She asked in a tone of surprise and disbelief, looking wide eyed at Lena.

"Yes, she had skin as pale as the moon and hair like liquid sunlight. Her eyes were so piercing that they seemed to gaze right through me." Lena replied and as she spoke her mind drifted back into the memory of the mysterious woman she had seen. Her beauty was the only shining light in a night of fear and death.

"Did she say anything to you or perhaps mention a name?" Fareeha asked once more, breaking Lena from her daze and she quickly shook her head at her.

"No, she only told me that I was dreaming." She answered to which Fareeha responded with a chuckle and a knowing smile.

"You don't believe me." Lena grumbled crossing her arms, not appreciating the feeling that she was being mocked, but Fareeha only shook her head.

"No, I believe you. Maybe she will wander into my dreams. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could call her by her name and pretend we have met before? I have waited a long time for such a lady." She said, her voice little more than a whisper. Lena raised her eyebrow at how bizarre what Fareeha had just said was, however as she looked at the small smile that had formed on her usual stern lips she noticed the sadness and longing in her eyes. For a brief moment Fareeha's gaze turned to the hawk, all the raw emotions she normally kept hidden were clear to see. However she quickly and silently returned to working on the sword, plainly having nothing more to say on the subject.

The pair sat in silence for a while as Fareeha worked on the sword. The only moment of interest was when she finished sharpening and moved onto polishing. Lena almost considered making a joke about her putting more effort into her sword than into finding a woman but, after their earlier conversation, thought better of it. Still the sword did peak her curiosity with its unusual exotic design and close connection to the history of her family. It was clear from how much care Fareeha was taking over her work on the blade that it meant something to her.

"Three generations sure is long time, wouldn't it just be easier to get a new sword instead of hanging onto the same old one?" She asked as she gestured at the blade in Fareeha's gasp to which she received an annoyed eye roll.

"I didn't think a thief would understand why people might want to hang onto their possessions." She replied with a disapproving huff, rolling the sword over in her hand to better show Lena the flat of the blade. Set into the metal were two gem stones with an empty hole where a third should be.

"This sword has a long and noble history with the Amari family." She said as if she was about to start an epic tale however Lena stopped her.

"Wait just one moment love. Did you just say the Amari family? You don't by any chance happen to be from the same family as the great Ana Amari? That woman is a bloody legend!" Lena cried, her excitement getting the better of her. Everyone from here to Necropolis knew who Ana Amari was and even in death the woman was a hero. In answer however Fareeha only let out a long irritated sigh. She hadn't meant to reveal such a personal secret about herself to the thief. She had been so wrapped up in telling Lena about her family sword she had let her tongue slip.

"Yes, she was my…mother." She replied sheepishly, suddenly finding the rocks on the ground extremely interesting. She hated talking about her mother to anyone, especially people she didn't even know. Lena on the other hand was in a state of complete shock, her jaw pretty much hitting the floor.

"What?! Your mother?! Ana Amari is your mother?!" Lena all but screamed in disbelief at the revelation. She had no idea that she had been travelling with the daughter of such an important person all this time, not that it changed her perception of her who she still saw as a miserable killjoy. Fareeha lifted her head to stare daggers at the over excited Lena.

"Keep it down! Yes Ana Amari was my mother and before you ask I don't know who my father was. All I know is that he is called Sam and she met him on one of her many travels with the army. She didn't go into any more detail than that and that's fine by me." She stated, trying the hold back the typhoon of questions she saw building in Lena's eyes. Everyone always seemed to ask who her father was as if somehow that was important to who she was. It was true that Ana rarely spoke of her father but that was in part because Fareeha never asked about him. Growing up she always felt like her mother was all she needed but that all changed when she was killed in battle. She still remembers the cold sinking feeling as she read the message announcing her death. An arrow had struck her in the eye and had killed her instantly. No-one knew if it was intended for her or merely a lucky shot but it didn't really matter. What had hurt the most was the fact that their last conversation had been a bitter argument, Fareeha dreamed of following in her mother's footsteps and joined the army, something Ana completely disagreed with. They fought all night about it till finally Fareeha had stormed off and that was the last she saw of her. Slowly and without realising her hand drifted to one of the gems embedded in the sword. It was a beautiful topaz which shone with a shimmering gold glow just like the sands of Egypt, which used to be home.

Lena watched on silently as she saw the sadness grow in Fareeha's eyes. Whilst she like everyone else knew of Ana as a war hero she also knew that she had been killed. She cursed her thoughtlessness about bringing up such a hurtful topic.

"I'm sorry for your loss, she was a great solider and a hero." Lena said softly, thinking of nothing better to say to comfort Fareeha. She only shook her head and let out an awkward cough as she tried to shake the unpleasant memories from her head. She couldn't afford to dwell on the past when she had more important and pressing matters to worry about in the present. Once again she raised the sword up to show it to Lena and continued where her story left off.

"I will not linger on her memory, I will honour it. Each generation is called upon to follow their own personal quest and once it is completed they add a jewel to the sword. The emerald is from my grandmother, the topaz is for my mother and this one is…" She stated solemnly and as she spoke she pointed to each gemstone in turn till finally she paused over the empty hole. Something in her expression changed, a resolve appeared in her eyes so strong it was almost scary. Worried that Fareeha might think she had taken the missing Lena quickly raised her hand in a gesture of surrender.

"I can promise you I didn't take it love!" Lena cried in her defence but Fareeha only shook her head.

"No, this one is mine to fill. I have my own quest that I must complete." She replied, reaching up to gentle touch the place where her gem, once earned, would lay. Lena didn't think the determination in her eyes could burn any stronger but she was wrong. Whatever task she had set herself to do she pitied anyone who got in her way.

"So what is your quest then?" She said, putting her hand on her hips and raising an eyebrow at Fareeha. Surely there was no quest that could be put before her that she couldn't fulfil.

"I must kill someone." Fareeha answered, the resolve was now joined by a burning hatred.

"Does this walking corpse have a name?" Lena asked again with a chuckle, surely for a woman like Fareeha killing one person couldn't be that hard.

"The minister of Oasis, Moira O'Deorain." Fareeha replied and given the name she had spoken Lena thought for a moment that she was joking but the look in her eyes was as serious as ever. In that instant Lena realised Fareeha did truly intended to kill the most powerful and deadly woman in the whole region. She planned to face the devil in their own home and that was a fight that wouldn't go well for an entire army let alone one woman. All Lena knew was that she had escaped death once already and that was one time too many. She wasn't about to walk willingly back into its jaws and that was exactly what was going to happen if she stuck around with Fareeha any longer.

"The minister…I see…" Lena said more to herself then Fareeha as she slowly and absentmindedly nodded her head. Slowly she got up and gradually backed away in such a manner that she hoped Fareeha didn't notice.

"Well then you clearly have much to do and I've already taken up enough of your time. I best get going then but I hope our paths crossed again someday but not too soon love." She exclaimed in an overly cheeky voice trying her best to appear causal as she continued to back away. She swiftly spun around and attempted to leave but Fareeha's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I need you to guide me into the city." She stated in a commanding tone and with that one sentence finally revealed her plan for Lena all along. At the revelation Lena turned to Fareeha with a shocked and horrified expression on her face.

"Not on your life! There is no way I am going anyway near that city ever again." She cried, waving her arms in such a way that clearly showed how she felt on the matter but Fareeha just watched her with her usual calm expression.

"You are the only one who has ever escaped from there alive." She replied pointing at Lena as she spoke, only emphasize her point. As if to leave no doubt as to whom she was talking about despite no-one else being around. However once again Lena threw up her arms in defiance.

"It was chance love, pure chance! I fell down a hole and followed my nose." She said still shaking her head, hoping and praying that she could make Fareeha understand. She wasn't the great criminal mastermind she pretended to be, she was lucky and there was nothing more to it than that. However to her dismay Fareeha stood up and slowly walked towards her. Holding her sword in one hand she reached up with the other one and rested it on Lena's shoulder.

"I have waited almost three years for this moment. For someone who could help me on my divine quest so when I heard the warning bells of Oasis I knew my time had come at last. You will be my guide and through you I will reach my destiny." She proclaimed, sounding to Lena a little overdramatic for her taste. Fareeha had hoped that her rousing speech could inspire Lena to help her, to prove to her that she was the one she needed. However it seemed to have the opposite effect as instead Lena reached up to pick up her hand to remove it from her shoulder in order to slowly back away.

"No offence love but I can't help you and even if I could I wouldn't. There are strange forces at work in your life. Otherworldly and magical one that surround you. I don't understand them but they frighten me. You saved my life and the truth is I can never repay you for that. I am a thief, I have no honour, never have and never will do. I don't think you would kill me for that, for being who I am. However I'd rather take my chances out there than return to Oasis." She said solemnly as she backed away. She knew it was a risk to leave Fareeha's protection but it was much more favourable than the other option. She continued to back away till finally she was a good distance from her. Fareeha watched her move gravely and whilst she was unmoving, her eyes never left Lena which unnerved her greatly. Nevertheless seeing as Fareeha made no attempt to stop her or convince her to stay Lena thought maybe she had given up and she decide to let her leave. She turned around and began to walk away however she only managed a few steps before a loud thud right next to her head made her stop. She froze on the spot and cautiously turned her head in the direction of the noise. To her dismay embedded in the tree right next to her was Fareeha's sword. It made an unsettling noise as it wobbled back and forth from the force of the blow. It had been thrown with deadly accuracy, missing her head by only the slightest margin. She turned to face Fareeha who wore a smug smile on her face, her hand still raised from the toss. With a single throw she had sent Lena a message that no was not an answer she was willing to accept and the message had been received, loud and clear. The look in Lena's eyes told her that she had won this battle of wills and that the thief was going nowhere. Awkwardly Lena raised her hand and placed it on the sword to stop it shaking, silence once again filling the air till finally she spoke.

"I'll go gather some more firewood." She said sheepishly, pointing off in a different direction with her thumb than the one she had intended to travel. Fareeha gave her a nod before walking pass her to pull her sword from the tree, their eyes met as she did. In her gaze she told Lena that she was watching her and that she was a foe she didn't want to mess with. Lena could feel her heart sinking, it looked like she would be maybe heading to Oasis after all.


	6. Chapter 5 - Bathed in Moonlight

Chapter 5 – A Woman Bathed In Moonlight

Cries to open the gate echoed through the courtyard of Oasis as Gabriel approached. He had ridden hard to get to Oasis as quickly as possible to deliver his dire news. Fareeha Amari had returned and the Minister needed to know about it right away. He rode through the gateway, barely giving the guard time to open it. Stopping in the courtyard he quickly dismounted, thrusting the reins of his exhausted horse into the hands of a nearby stable boy. Without sparing him a second glance, he headed towards the inner sanctum of Oasis where the Minister would more than likely be at this time of day. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard gentle music flowing from within the garden walls. Gabriel entered the Minister's private garden and was greeted by the sight of Moira sat at the edge of the garden upon a large, throne like chair. In front of her was a slender woman with long, black hair wearing a flowing lavender dress. She was dancing seductively to the soothing melody of the harp that was being played by another woman. She was dressed similarly to the dancer but her dress was a rich pink in colour. Her black hair was cut in an odd way, being short on one side and exceptionally long on the other. The ends of the longer parts of her hair were dyed pink, looking like the tips of brushes dipped in ink. The hairstyle looked very strange to Gabriel but he was no expert.

Moira was watching the dancer intensely as she leaned forward with her chin on her hands. Gabriel saw a strange hunger in her eyes. It was like she was seeing someone else in the dancer's place. Her gaze held a lust and bitterness in equal measure as she yearned for the person she saw there whilst at the same time cursing the fact it was only her imagination. Before Gabriel could ponder over what he was witnessing the harp player spotted him and stopped her playing. The scowl on her face showed that she clearly wasn't happy at being interrupted. A sentiment apparently shared by the dancer, judging by the same resentful look she gave the captain. Moira followed their line of sight and upon seeing Gabriel she beckoned him over. He slowly walked over to her, wishing there was some way to delay the inevitable, knowing the Minister wouldn't take kindly to the news he brought.

"Have you recaptured our little thief?" Moira asked, turning her head leisurely to Gabriel. She could only assume that his return meant that the pickpocket had been apprehended.

"No, not yet milady." Gabriel replied but before he could continue with his message the bishop stood up and faced him, a look of fury in her eyes.

"Do you think to find her here? You desecrate this sacred place with your presence, unwashed and unshaven. You should be out there looking for the criminal. Tell me what was so important that you had to set aside your duties to interrupt me?" She asked with a hint of mocking beneath the anger in her voice.

" Fareeha Amari has returned." Gabriel said plainly. The moment the words left his mouth the look on Moira's face changed dramatically. The fury disappeared and for a split second Gabriel saw sheer panic in her eyes but it disappeared so quickly he wondered if he imagined it. Instead he was faced with a cold and serious expression.

"Walk with me." She commanded as she led him up to the balcony level overlooking the garden, away from prying ears.

"This is most troubling news indeed. She hasn't been seen for almost three years, why would she return now?" She asked aloud, speaking more to herself than Gabriel but that didn't stop him from replying.

"I have my best man tracking her down as we speak. She will not escape us for long, have no fear of that my grace." He said with a confident tone. After all he had a lot to prove given his recent failings.

"The hawk! She must have the hawk with her!" She continued to mutter to herself. Fareeha's return was unfortunate for her but it also meant the return of someone far more important. Someone who was stolen from her and someone she wouldn't lose again. She turned to the rather confused Gabriel with a dark expression on her face.

"She is travelling with a hawk, it is to be captured and brought to me unharmed. The day it is injured is the day that a new captain of the guard will preside at your execution." She said with a dangerous look in her eyes showing in no uncertain terms that she meant every word.

"What about Fareeha?" Gabriel asked knowing that if the hawk was as important as Moira was making it out to be, Fareeha was unlikely to part with it willingly. He had to admit it was a very unusual request but she must have her reasons. Not only that but he was in no position to question her orders.

"She is worthless to me, kill her!" She replied, her voice was laced with bitterness as she decided Fareeha's fate, with no more empathy than a man disposing of a stray dog.

"Of course your grace." He said as sinister smile grew on his face. He bowed to Moira before turning and taking his leave. That was one order that he was going to enjoy carrying out. Once he was gone Moira turned to face the garden below and rested both her hands on the wall. Her mind was awash with memories that Fareeha's return had brought up. She didn't trust Gabriel to not fail her again and it never hurt to have a backup plan.

"Get me Akande!" She called out to a servant waiting down below. She wouldn't let Fareeha escape her like she had done before. She would hunt her down like the dog that she was and this time, there would be no escape.

* * *

As night fell over the forest, silver moonlight shone through the tree branches and danced across the ground. Despite the beautiful scenery before her Lena let out another long sigh. It seemed that Fareeha was taking her threat of not letting her leave very seriously. Once all their evening chores were done and they had both eaten, Fareeha had unceremoniously tied Lena to a nearby tree. After that she disappeared into the darkness as the sun began to set. Lena had been left sat on the forest floor with aching arms which were currently bound to the tree behind her. She had hoped that Fareeha would reappear to release her, thinking her current imprisonment was only a temporary measure while she attended to other matters. Nevertheless that had been hours ago, which lead Lena to realise that she planned to leave her like this all night.

Just as she finally resigned herself to her new sleeping arrangements for the night, movement up ahead caught her attention. Her first thought was that the wolf from before had returned to finish the job. However, as the figure drew closer she saw it wasn't the wolf, but the woman from the previous night. Her long black cloak was gone, instead she was wearing a white tunic, brown trouser **s** and grey fur boots. Her garments looked to have seen better days but even her dishevelled attire couldn't detract from her beauty. Her stunning blonde hair reminded Lena of golden sunlight even in the current darkness. She failed to notice Lena as she worked away, laying what looked like a rabbit snare. Despite the air of wonder and mystery that surrounded the woman Lena decided to take her chances in the name of her escape.

"Excuse me milady!" She called out to the woman, who gave a cry of surprise at hearing her voice. She turned to face Lena raising her hand over her chest. At seeing Lena her face turned from one of surprise to one of recognition.

"It's you from last night! You scared me!" She said before taking by a deep breath to steady her wrecked nerves. Once the shock had worn off the woman took a moment to take in the sight of Lena's current predicament. "How did this happen?" She asked, pointing to the ropes that currently held Lena in place, an amused smile upon her face.

"Yes…well…" She replied before pausing as she racked her brain for a possible reason to explain her being tied up that wasn't the truth. An idea suddenly came to her, however she just hoped the lady would buy her story. "I was ambushed by half a dozen Oasis guards. It was a terrible battle and I was badly outnumbered. They tied me up and left me here but they could be back at any moment." She said to the woman doing her best to sound theatrical as she looked around nervously to add to the drama of the situation. However one look at the woman's face and it was clear to see that she wasn't buying it. Lena had to wonder if her acting skills weren't up to scratch.

"So why haven't they killed you yet?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Annoyingly to Lena it was a perfectly reasonable question but thankfully she was used to thinking on her feet.

"I asked them that myself and they said that they wanted to leave that honour to the Minster." She replied but once again the woman clearly didn't believe her. She crossed her arms at Lena, her expression remained unimpressed and unconvinced. Obviously this woman was more than just a pretty face. Letting out a long sigh Lena decided to give it one last desperate attempt. "Please milady, have some mercy. A very large hungry looking owl was eyeing me up just a moment ago." She pleaded, giving the woman her best, sad puppy dog eyes and finally it seemed to be working.

"Alright you win but it does seem wrong to deny the owl its dinner." She replied with a small chuckle which to Lena sounded like the most beautiful sound in the world. She pulled a small dagger from her belt and knelt down next to Lena to carefully cut the ropes that were holding her. No sooner had the last strand been severed the sound of wolf's howl tore through the silent night air. The woman quickly stood up and spun round to face the direction of the noise but saw no sign of the wolf who made it.

"We should move on." She said as she turned back to Lena but to her complete surprise the thief was gone. The only hint as to her whereabouts was the sound of retreating footsteps in the distance that were quickly getting further away.

"Cheers love, tell Fareeha that she ties a wicked knot!" Lena shouted back as she happily dashed through the trees on her merry way towards freedom. Behind her the mysterious woman shook her head in despair, feeling every bit the fool.

"She's going to kill me." She mumbled to herself in defeat, letting out a long sigh. Sinking to the ground she leant against the very tree Lena had been bound to and began her long wait for dawn.

Later as the sun started to rise and its gentle light covered the countryside, Fareeha emerged from the forest riding atop Anubis. She pulled him to a halt and let out a loud whistle. Out of the golden glow of the morning sky swooped the hawk which landed gracefully onto Fareeha's outstretched arm.

"Come, let us find our little thief." She said softly to the hawk as she tenderly ran her finger over the soft feathers on its chest. With a click of her tongue she spurred Anubis forward to continue their long path south towards their ultimate goal of Oasis.


	7. Chapter 6 - Love As She Flies

Chapter 6 – To Shoot Love As She Flies

Lena couldn't believe her luck. Of all the places for the guards to set up camp why did they have to do it right in the middle of her escape route? Not only that but of all the places for one guard in particular to choose to relieve himself why did he have to pick the one place where Lena was trying to hide? One small mercy was that she managed to avoid getting wet but ultimately, it had led to her immediate capture. She'd have plenty of time to think over such questions as she was being hauled back to the camp with her wrists in chains. As the guard marched her into the centre of their makeshift camp she guessed the soldiers were travelling light. The base they had set up consisted of little more than tents that were just poles and materials. In the centre of the camp was the remains of a fire which looked to have the burnt leftovers of dinner still smothering in the ashes. Lena couldn't tell if it was a large rat or small cat that had been their supper the previous night so clearly the pickings were not rich. As she was walking further into the base a man stepped out of one such tent. She assumed he was the leader of the group given his better uniform and authoritative way he marched up to her. For all accounts he was a very plain looking man as average height and build. His only defining feature was his unkempt light brown beard on his jawline that matched his hair.

"Where is the Amari woman?" He asked with a snarl, getting a little too close into Lena's personal space than she otherwise would have liked.

"Killed in battle, I do believe. Lucky shot to the eye so if you are looking to kill her you're a little late there." Lena replied, trying to give the guard the best innocent look she could muster. Unfortunately for her, the man wasn't going to be fooled so easily.

"Don't play games with me girl!" He growled at her as he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, pulling her alarmingly close to his face that his hot, putrid breath slapped across her cheeks. She could see every wrinkle, every crater, every anger vein in disgustingly good detail. Lena got the warning, loud and clear.

"Oh yes, you mean Fareeha Amari. Black hair, blue armour and a tattoo under her right eye. Why didn't you say so? Last I saw her she was heading down the southern path towards Oasis." She replied, once again keeping up the innocent act in hopes of throwing them off the scent. The man looked at her intensely as it was clear that he was trying to figure out if she was telling the truth or not. Finally after what felt like a lifetime to Lena and shook his head.

"There is no way that she would be riding towards Oasis. Gather the men, we will ride north!" He announced to the waiting guards that surrounded them. However just as they turned to leave, Lena suddenly interrupted them.

"It's not nice to assume someone is lying when you have only just met them!" She blurted out before she had chance to bite her tongue. Realising what she had just said, she quickly shut her mouth. Unfortunately the damage was already done. The guard slowly turned to her with a raised eyebrow. Lena watched in horror as a sinister grin grew across his lips. Something within his eyes sent shivers down her spine. She got the feeling that her little slip-up might end up costing both her and Fareeha dearly.

"Really now? However it seems you knew that we would. Seems there has been a change of plan, we ride south." He called out to his men before giving Lena a sinister smile. He beckoned to the guard holding her to bring her with them. With a rough shove he pushed her to unwillingly follow along. As she was led away, Lena couldn't shake the feeling of dread in her stomach. She just hoped that her little slipup didn't end up costing Farreha dearly.

The ambush point was set further down the southern road amongst a collection of abandoned buildings, most likely farm houses or stores. They provided the perfect cover whilst allowing a clear view of Fareeha's approach across the grassy flatlands. Around Lena all of the guards sat on horseback and all of them were armed to the teeth. Currently she had the rather humiliating position of being sat behind one of them in iron shackles. She pulled against them but annoyingly and unsurprisingly they held fast. Even more unfortunately they had also seen fit to gag her as well. Lena didn't even want to think about where they had found the disgusting piece of cloth. The group didn't have long to wait as the lookout suddenly waved to the others.

"She is coming!" He whispered harshly, pointing towards the direction she was coming from. Lena looked ahead as best she could and sure enough coming towards them along the dirt path was Fareeha, completely unaware of the mortal danger she was in. Lena watched in horror as all around her crossbows were silently loaded and sword were soundlessly drawn. If she didn't do something and soon Fareeha would surely be killed and no doubt so would she shortly thereafter.

Carefully and as quietly as she could she raised her hands to try to remove the gag, but it was bound too tight. It seems that the guard had felt her shifting, as his head whipped around to face her. Seeing her pulling at her gag he quickly attempted to stop her by pulling tight on her manacles. However Lena took her moment of opportunity to fight back. She swung her shackled wrists at the side of the man's head as hard as she could. Clearly shocked at the sudden resistance the guard was unable to stop them as they hit the metal of his helmet with a loud satisfying clang. The noise shattered the silence the guards had worked so hard to keep and with it their element of surprise. The force of the blow stunned the man and in his dazed state he took a wild swing at her. His dizzied fist ran through the air towards her. It missed it's mark, colliding with her shoulder instead, yet it seems his blind strength was still enough to dismount her, sending her tumbling to the ground. She scrambled out of the way as the guards tried to regroup with their cover blown.

As Fareeha heard the sound of a struggle she become instantly aware of the ambush that lay in waiting and readied herself. In the rush to attack, two guards dashed out ahead of the rest, one armed with a sword and the other with a crossbow. As they rounded the corner the first one fired his crossbow at Fareeha but in his halt he failed to properly aim so it hit her saddle bag. However he was not as lucky as Fareeha raised her own crossbow and returned fire. Her bolt found its mark, hitting the man in the neck and killing him instantly.

The second guard charged forward, his sword raised ready to strike. He was approaching Fareeha too quickly, she didn't have time to reload her crossbow or reach for her sword. Instead thinking on her feet she raised the empty crossbow and slammed it into the man's chest. The force of the unexpected blow not only winded him but also knocked him clean off his horse.

However unseen by Fareeha two more guard had come out of hiding and each one was aiming their crossbow straight for her. Fortunately for her, Lena had spotted them from where she had hidden herself. Thinking fast she grabbed a nearby large rock and threw it as hard as she could at the men. It struck the guard closest to her in the arm just as he pulled the trigger sending the arrow skywards. He let out a pain yell as he nursed his wounded arm, the rock clearly causing some damage. However in a horrible twist of fate his wayward arrow hit the hawk as it soared above them. The bird let out a shriek of pain as it tried desperately to stay airborne with the arrow lodged in its side, underneath its left wing.

At the same time the other guard who was unaffected by Lena's attack fired his crossbow, his arrow lodging itself deep into Fareeha's left shoulder. Fareeha in her left shoulder. She let out a pained howl from the blow but was quickly distracted when she heard the distressed calls coming from above. Looking up she saw the hawk finally lose its battle to stay in the air. It began to fall to ground, only managing to slow its descent by feebly flapping its uninjured wing.

"No!" Fareeha cried, feeling like the arrow had pieced her heart instead of her shoulder at seeing the hawk so badly injured. However her attention was quickly pulled back to the ground at the sound of movement. She saw the guard who had shot her thrown his crossbow to the ground. He sensed his opportunity to finish her off and charged straight towards her. Fareeha slumped forward and grit her teeth against the pain as she yanked the arrow from her shoulder. As the guard drew close to her he raised his sword ready to deliver the killer blow but unluckily for him Fareeha wasn't done for yet. Once he was near enough and just at the last moment Fareeha thrusted forward, driving the arrow deep between the man's ribs. He dropped his sword and clenched his chest but it was too late. His horse continued on pass Fareeha a few paces before the guard slouched forward then fell to the ground dead.

The other guard who Lena had hit with the rock finally recovered from her attack and drew his sword, ready for his chance to take on Fareeha but as he looked around he faulted. Out of the four guards in the ambush party only he remained. Two of them were dead and the third was currently fleeing on foot as fast as he could. Fareeha had done all this and she hadn't even drawn her sword yet. In his moment of hesitation Fareeha locked eyes with him. He gave a shiver as he stared in fear into the deep pools of endless rage that looked back at him. It was like looking into the eyes of a wolf that hungered for blood and it sent a chill down his spine. Slowly she drew her blade then spurred Anubis on to charge towards him. Thinking better of facing her, he turned tail and ran.

Lena thought that Fareeha would give chase but instead she veered off, heading in a completely different direction. It took Lena a moment to realise that she was going to where the hawk had landed. Fareeha pulled Anubis to a halt just a few feet away from where it lay wounded on the ground. Getting off the horse she slowly and carefully crept toward it, not wanting to startle the poor bird. It looked up at hearing her approach and let out weak cries of pain. The ugly shaft of the arrow could be seen sticking out from under its wing and was clearly causing a lot of discomfort.

"Easy now, you are going to be alright." Fareeha cooed softly as she knelt down beside it and gently stroking the bird's head in an attempt to comfort it. She turned Lena and in that moment she saw a look in Fareeha's eyes that she had never seen before. It was fear! Even when facing guards that greatly outnumbered her she always kept her composure. She had a calmness that came with years of duty as a loyal solider but now that was gone because of the wounded hawk.

"Grab some cloth from my saddle bag!" She cried out, the distress in her voice showing just how deeply it ran. Lena rummage through the bag and picked out one of Fareeha's shirts which she hoped she wouldn't mind about. She rushed over to where Fareeha was knelt reassuring the bird and handed the shirt over to her. Taking it from her she carefully wrapped it around the bird, showing that she didn't notice or didn't care that it was hers. She cautiously lifted the now bundled up hawk and cradled it in her arm so tenderly it was if the creature was made of glass. She turned to Lena and held out the bird towards her.

"Help her!" She said in a commanding tone but in reply Lena raised her hands in a gesture of refusal.

"What do you mean?" She asked, having no idea what Fareeha expected her to do.

"You are the only one I have!" She continued, walking towards her as the look of desperation only growing in her eyes but once again Lena refused by stepping away.

"I'm sorry love but the poor thing is done for." She replied, shaking her head as she pointed at the injured bird. No soon had the words left her mouth the look in Fareeha's eyes changed dramatically from distress to fury. Still holding the hawk in one arm she lunged forward, grabbing Lena by the front of her shirt and pulling her to within inches of her face.

"Don't you dare say that!" Fareeha growled at her and for a second Lena thought she was going to thump her. However the weak squeaks from the hawk seemed to snap her out of her rage. Clearly the sudden movement had caused considerable amount of discomfort. Slowly Fareeha let go of Lena and took a deep breath to calm herself. She knew losing her temper now wouldn't help anyone. She turned her gaze eastwards, an idea forming in her head. It meant going to the last person she wanted to see but it was their only option. She turned back to Lena with determination and hope in her eyes.

"Get on my horse and follow the road till you reach a ruined castle. There you will find an old man call Reinhardt. Take the hawk to him, he'll know what to do." She said, once again trying hand Lena the bird but once again she raised her hands.

"I can't, you are the only one who can ride him. Why can't you do it?" She asked, confused as to why Fareeha kept insisting that she take care of the bird when she seemed more than able to do so. However in response to her question Fareeha looked down, her gaze lingering on the wounded hawk in her arms. Lena thought she saw a look of sadness and shame upon her face but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared. Her eyes returned to Lena holding the same steely resolve they always did.

"Just do as I say and get on my horse!" She snarled at Lena, her well of patience having finally run dry. Realising there was no way she was getting out of doing as she was told Lena let out a long sigh, She walked over to where Anubis stood waiting and placed one foot in his stirrup. She pulled herself onto his back which was no easy feat given his massive size. Once settled Fareeha carefully handed her hawk which Lena cautiously cradled in her right arm. With her free hand she reached down to grab the reins but just as she took hold of them Fareeha suddenly grasped her wrist. She held her in place with an iron grip as she leaned forward to look Lena straight on the eyes, her stare cold and dangerous.

"Know this, if you fail I will follow you the length of my days and I will find you!" She said in a tone that let her know that her threat was very real. Lena shallowed nervously, her mouth suddenly went extremely dry before she nodded frantically. Satisfied that her warning had been understood Fareeha let go of her. Finally freed, Lena spurred the horse onwards into a gallop, following the road as instructed. As she faded from view the fear that Fareeha had kept at bay finally overcame her. She sunk to her knees, her strength abandoning her and replaced with despair.

"Please let her live." She prayed in little more than a whisper to any who would hear her. Through watery eyes she watched the sun begin to set. Her life and her love were in the hands of a thief. She just hoped her faith in her wasn't misplaced.


	8. Chapter 7 - A Broken Castle

Chapter 7 – A Broken Castle for a Wounded Heart

Lena pulled the horse to a stop and let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long hard ride but finally the ruined castle came into view just as Fareeha said it would. It hadn't been easy with Lena's lack of riding experience and the ever fading light. Not to mention it being made even more challenging by her having to make sure the hawk was secure. She had wanted to give up numerous times and take advantage of the opportunity to escape but Fareeha's warning kept replaying in her mind. She didn't seem like the kind of woman to go back on her word and Lena wasn't about to risk taking on her full fury. Lena looked down at the bird currently nestled in her arm. Despite the bumpy journey it was, thankfully, still alive though looking none too pleased at the rough treatment.

"Not long now love." Lena said to the hawk in order to try and soothe it, reaching down to stroke its head. Unfortunately the combination of an uncomfortable ride and a painful wound had put the hawk into a partially foul mood. The moment Lena's finger came within reach the bird struck, giving the unlucky digit a sharp nip with its beak. With a cry Lena quickly pulled back her newly bleeding finger.

"Well, that's gratitude for you! Let this Reinhardt fellow watch you die, see if I care!" Lena grumbled loudly at the bird as she put her finger in her mouth to try and stop the blood flow before riding on.

As she neared the castle, she saw just how bad of a state it was in. Nearly all the walls had crumbled away and the ones that remained were being held up by wooden scaffolding. From that and the other crude repairs Lena could see it was clear that someone did in fact live there, she just hoped that they hadn't gone to bed yet.

"Hello in there!" She shouted out at the top of her voice, praying someone could hear her over the high walls. She thought her call would go unanswered but just as she was able to call again she heard deep grumbling coming from within followed by the sound of someone climbing a ladder. The upper half of a large, older muscular man appeared from behind the wall. He was dressing in simple tunic that had clearly seen better days. He had short white hair that was smoothed backwards, giving him a rather windswept look. A bushy white beard ran along his jawline and around his mouth that matches his hair. However his most striking feature was a long scar that ran down his left eye. It looked to be a very old wound and no doubt blinded the complete white eye that it crossed.

"Who goes there?" He shouted down to her in a deep booming voice. Lena could hear in his tone a very distinctive German accent, not only that but also that his speech was slightly slurred. Although he didn't sound completely drunk it was clear he had at least had a couple of drinks.

"Are you Reinhardt? I was told to bring you this bird, it's been wounded." Lena called back up to the man. She was pretty sure that she had the right man but it never hurt to double check.

"I am indeed, Reinhardt at your service." He bellowed boastfully, pounding his fist against his chest in a warrior's salute before turning his gaze to the hawk in Lena's arm and the arrow sticking out of it. "Good shot my girl! Bring it in and we will dine together." He shouted back followed by roaring laughter. Clearly he was thrilled by the prospect of having hawk for dinner but Lena shook her head.

"We can't eat this bird, it belongs to a woman named Fareeha Amari." Lena replied and instantly the man's laughter died in his throat. Even with the distance between them Lena could see the colour drain from his face.

"By my shield! Bring her in quickly girl!" Reinhardt cried in a panic, any hint of his previous drunkenness completely gone as he disappeared back behind the wall. Lena followed the path round to a makeshift wooden front gate so tall that she couldn't see over it. On the other side she heard Reinhardt unbolting it and before long it swung open, allowing Lena to see the deep concern on his features. As Lena came through the gateway and dismounted, he came over to get a closer look at the hawk. He carefully reached forward and moved some of the cloth out the way to better inspect the wound. Upon seeing it he shook his head before turning to Lena.

"It is worse than I fear. Leave the horse for now, you can tend to it later. Just follow me and be quick about it." He said before dashing off, surprising Lena by how quickly the large man could move. She followed him along the windy path that snaked its way up the hill towards the castle. As they neared their destination they came to a wooden bridge that stretched across what Lena guessed was the castle's old moat. Just as she was about the follow Reinhardt across it he stopped and turned to her with a serious look on his face.

"Walk on the left side!" He said before he began to make his way across, not giving Lena time to respond. Despite her confusion over his seemingly random statement she thought it best to obey as she followed him over, sticking to the left side of the bridge. Finally after going up a few steps they reached the castle. It was in the same dilapidated state as everything else, a shell of its former glory held together by only a pray and some rather dodgy carpentry. Reinhardt opened the door for her, holding it he gestured for her to enter. Inside Lena was surprised by just how homely it was. Flames roared in the fireplace, above which bunches of dried herbs tied together with string were seen hanging from the ceiling. Along the far wall was a very basic desk and chair, but it was what was leaning against the wall next to it that caught Lena's eye: a massive Warhammer, the biggest she had ever seen. It was clearly well looked after as it gleamed in the light of the setting sun.

"Put her down on the bed, carefully now." Reinhardt said, drawing her attention back to the task at hand. Slowly Lena walked over to the bed that sat opposite the fireplace and gently she lay the hawk down. It gave a small chirp as she put it down, clearly happy to finally be out of Lena's arms. She backed away slightly as Reinhardt stepped forward, placing himself between her and the bird. He looked down at the hawk with a grave look on his face. To Lena it looked as if he was dreading something he had no choice but to do.

"Leave us girl." He said in a low tone, his gaze not leaving the injured bird. Lean looked at him in bewilderment and surprise. She had travelled a long way to bring the hawk to him and after all that he was just kicking her out.

"Can't I help in anyway?" She asked, attempting to plea with the man. Part of her was worried about the hawk, the other part was worried about what Fareeha would do to her if something happened to it. However despite her offers of assistance Reinhardt turned to her with a deep scowl on his face.

"Get out!" He growled at her, his tone leaving no room for argument. Lena sheepishly backed away from him and without another word left the room.

Once she was gone Reinhardt let out a long sigh. He didn't want to be unkind to the girl especially considering given all she had done but right now he needed peace and quiet to focus on the task at hand. He turned back to the hawk and his heart broke at the sounds of the weakened peeps she was making. He knelt down beside the bed and gently stroked his finger down her uninjured wing.

"It's almost time, just hang on a little longer." He said to her softly as he looked up at the glowing red of the evening sky through the hole in the celling. It wasn't be long now before the sun set and then the real work would begin. He just hoped that after so many years he would be ready to finally begin to redeem himself.

* * *

It didn't take long for Reinhardt to finally emerge from his room, mumbling under his breath a list of herbs he needed from the garden. Closing the door behind him, he pulled down a large metal beam and taking a padlock from his pocket he locked it up tight. With one last tug to check it was secure, he headed off towards his garden, satisfied that their young guest couldn't get in. Unbeknownst to him, Lena secretly watched Reinhardt leave from her hiding spot behind a stack of old barrels. Once he was out the way she stepped out and headed straight towards the door, her mind burning with curiosity. There was something deeper going on and for too long she had been kept in the dark. She didn't know why but she had a gut feeling that the answers she sought lay just behind the padlocked door. Luckily, such locks were not a problem for a thief like her. She took out her trusty lock pick that was hidden in her boot and set to work. As she worked the delicate pins inside the lock she once again heard the haunting howls of a wolf. Lena shook her head and refocused, she couldn't let it distract her. Finally at long last the lock gave out and with a triumphant click it opened.

Lena swiftly opened the door and dashed inside. In her mind's eye she wondered what on earth she should be looking for, or even if this was a good idea at all. However she only took a few steps inside the room when what she saw caused her to stop in her tracks. Laying in the bed where the hawk was just a moment ago, was now a woman. Not only that but it was the same woman that Lena had seen the past two nights. The fur blanket was pulled up above her chest but it was clear that underneath it she was naked. Her blonde hair which Lena has only ever seen tied up now hung loose around her neck. However this time her beauty was tarnished by the ugly arrow sticking out of her shoulder in exactly the same spot where the hawk was stuck. Sensing Lena's presence in the room the woman turned her head to face her. In her eyes Lena saw the suffering her wound brought upon her as well as in the paleness of her skin. In shock and alarm at what she was witnessing she began to back away but just as she turned to flee the room the woman's cry stopped her.

"Wait!" She called out, her voice weak as she strained to speak against the pain. "Fareeha, is she…?" She asked, her question left open ended as her fear kept her from even saying the word. It was almost as if she dreaded that if she said it out loud then it would become true. Thankfully however Lena turned back to her and shook her head.

"No, she is well." She replied cautiously, still trying to wrap her head around the situation. At hearing that Fareeha was alright, Lena saw the woman let out a long sigh of relief. Her whole body physically relaxed as a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders. "It was a terrible battle, she fought bravely." Lena continued, barely able to keep her voice from shaking. Despite the evidences that was right in front of her she still couldn't believe her own eyes. She took a deep breath to steady herself for what she was about to say. "The hawk however was stuck by an arrow but you know that already don't you?" Lena asked as she took a small step forward. There was still a chance she would deny it, that she would tell Lena that she was dreaming like she did before but this time she didn't.

"I do." She answered in little more than a whisper as she adverted her gaze and for a moment Lena saw in her eyes an endless pit of sadness.

"Are you flesh or are you spirit?" Lena asked as she again nervously edged slightly closer to her. For a woman to change into a hawk as she did begged the question if she was even human at all. It would explain her unearthly beauty. However the woman just continued to look away and her gaze distance.

"I am sorrow." She replied in barely a whisper, the heart-breaking expression on her face leaving no doubt as to the truth of her statement. Lena was about to ask more but the sound of angry German grumbling behind her caught her attention. Reinhardt burst thought the door, the opened lock in his hand. Seeing Lena inside the room he stormed towards her and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, almost lifting her off the ground.

"What are you doing in here?" Reinhardt roared in her face but suddenly he froze as he saw the wounded woman that lay in his bed. He looked so overcome with shock that it felt like he almost dropped her. Despite all the commotion going on she looked as lost and distant as before, like she didn't even see them. Turning his attention back to the matter at hand Reinhardt let go of Lena only to grab her by the back of her skirt and drag her out the room. He all but threw her out, slamming the door behind her and bolting it shut from the inside.

"And this time stay out girl!" He bellowed at her from the other side. He turned back to the woman and slowly walked up to her with his head hung low.

"I'm sorry I thought I had secured the room. I don't know how she got in." He said in a fluster but she only shook her head, an expression of apathy engraved on her features. The sorrow that once inhabited her eyes was now replaced by a deep bitterness. Reinhardt let out a long sigh, it seemed time hadn't healed the wounds that he had inflicted. Not that he blamed her for such feelings as her hatred for him was only matched by his hatred for himself.

"Well then, let's have a look at this arrow. I just hope I remember everything Ana taught me. Your mother-in-law was the best healer I knew after you of course." He said with a chuckle however as he looked down at her he saw that his words had done nothing to lighten the mood. With another long sigh he walked over to his makeshift desk to begin preparing the healing mixture. He carefully mixed together the correct blend of herbs till they were turned into a thick green paste. It didn't smell particularly pleasant but he knew the good it would do. He headed back over to his waiting patent, perching on the edge of the bed. As gently as he could, he applied the paste around the arrow where it had pierced her flesh. It caused her to let out a hiss of pain but she gave no word of complaint. Satisfied that he had done all he could to prepare for what came next he looked down at her with a grave look. The gaze that passed between them was one of understanding, they both know how unpleasant this was going to be.

Reinhardt reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick leather strip. It was something he normally carried in case of repairs but right now he needed it for a completely different purpose. He folded it in half and raised it to the woman's lips. Instinctively she opened her mouth and closed it around the leather, gripping it tightly between her teeth. She then lifted her uninjured arm and placed her hand on Reinhardt's shoulder, gripping it tightly. Now there was nothing more to do, she had taken all measures to compose herself for the pain to come and all that remained was to face it. Taking a deep breath to steady himself Reinhardt slowly and gently as he could wrapped his fingers around the shaft of the arrow. He turned his gaze to the wounded woman one last time. She met his gaze with a look of her own. There was fear in her eyes but also determination, she was ready.

"Vergib mir!" He cried as he closed his eyes and pulled sharply on the arrow. It tore through the flesh of her shoulder as it was finally freed from her body. Agony exploded from the wound like wildfire. She let out pained scream that was muffled only by the leather strip. Whilst it did dampened the sound of her suffering it did nothing to hide the intensity of it. Her fingernails dug hard into Reinhardt's shoulder as her grip on it tightened. Thankfully despite the suffering the procedure had caused at least it was finally done. She knew that they were not be out of the woods yet but she could take some comfort in the howl of the wolf she could hear cutting through the cool night air outside. For now at least they were both safe and that was enough for now.


End file.
